The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 269: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

sible for us to obtain admission to such a place, would not the detectives themselves assume a par- ticular apparel and penetrate thither ?” ‘¢ Bless you, sir,” answered the constable ; “ those kind of villains would recognise the detectives in a moment, no matter how disguised. They are keen and cunning enough to distinguish between real gentlemen, such as you. are, and other persons drest up to play the part of gentlemen. That you can get into these haunts of which we are speaking, there is little doubt: indeed you are pretty sure to be invited there by those who would at once mark you as their prey,. But I again warn you of the Fisk you will have to run ; mn lees Jon aes wa armed——” “We took that precaution before we sot out,” interrupted Captain Stanley. “‘ We have each a brace of double-barre}led’ pistols and a good clasp- knife upon our persons.” “ And this stick of mine,” added ‘Lord Charlee Meredith, “though it seems :only.a gentleman’s walking~ cane, is 8 Mo-Proserver and well loaded at the top.” “Then you are decided, mutioman 2” asked the constable, still with a besitating‘and dubious man- ner: “for recollect that I cannot acoompany.. you.” “We are decided,” said Captain Stanley. .“* Lead the way as far as you consider it, prudent to con- duct us, in order to to show us the route.” . The constable ly struck into another labyrinth of low streets, alleys, and courts, all of which be assured. Lord Charles and Captain Stanley were swarming with loathsome life like a morass with reptiles; and the two. gentlemen soon lost every idea of their whereabouts. - At length the constable stopped short in the middle of a narrow street, feebly lighted with gas-lamps, and where the houses all had a dark and sinister ap- pearance. ; “ Now, gentlemen,” he said, “ I must accompany you no further—or my presence may frustrate the object you have in view. Proceed to the end of this street—take the turning to. the right and the second to the left. If you could make a pretence of being in liquor, it will serve your purpose better. I need tell you no more: for if anything happens to forward your views, it will take place somewhere about the spot to which I am directing on you will be enabled to judge for your- yes.’ Another liberal, donation rewarded the police- constable for his civility and his assistance ; and he then parted company from Lord Charles Mere- dith and Captain Stanley. CHAPTER XLIX. MOTHER BAMBEIDGE'S BSTABLI SHMENT. 5: directions, the two adventurous military officers took the turn to the right and then the second to the left,—this latter them into an alley which was very narrow at its entrance, but suddenly widened somewhat as Fot.owine the constable’ they edvanced into it, from the fact of the houses | i being built farther back on either side. These houses which thus stood back, were than those at the entrance of the alley, and they had all the | i wooden fences in front, ing what were meant to Be Little bite of garden, about a couple of yards wi Midway down the alley stood two public-houses, nearly fronting each other: or to be more par- ticular still, one was a public-house and the other a beer-shop. Over the former was a flaring gas- light—over the latter a lamp of more modest pre- tensions: but the two together illumined all that part of the alley. : Lights were still burning in smote their ears.: In front, too, of both these houses : of. entertainment several loose women,— some apperelled ‘with flaunting ‘pretension—were loitering in company with men -who were dressed in what.may be termed a “ swellish style.” .. A little beyond the beer-shop, a black doll with a piece of white calico wrapped round, doubtless to serve as a frock, swung over the door of a reg and bottle shop,—the windows of which displayed pictures in .radely executed water colours, repre- senting . plum-puddings, as an intimation that ‘housewives by means of thrift in disposing of their dripping, their rags, and their broken giass, might at the end of the year save up sufficient to provide the Christmas comestible thus illustrated. Nearly opposite the shop just named, was a marine-store dealer’s; and both establishments were opens, although it was now close upon one in the morn- ing. The light of candles shone dimly forth from ‘the doorways; and every now and then an in- dividual—male or female—might be seen coming from the opposite extremity of the alley and diving abruptly into one or the other of these shops,— having however in the first instance cast a rapid glance of scrutiny around, to make sure that no le was nigh. ’ It required no prompt- ing what their own ‘common sense sug- gested, to enable the two. officers to judge that both the marine-store dealer’s: and the rag-shop were in reality receptacles. for stolen goods, and that it was for the accommodation of their patrons they thus kept open so late. . _ Mindfal of the friendly constable’s advice, Cap- tain Stanley and Lord Charles Meredith affected to. be somewhat the worse for liquor as they ad- vanced within the sphere of light. “ Where the. deuce have our wandering steps brought us?” exclaimed Stanley, purposely speak- ing loud enough to be overheard by the loiterers _|in front of the two houses of entertainment. “J have no more idea than the man in the moon,” responded Lord Charles. “It was all owing to that last bottle of wine——” ‘“Woll, never mind!” ‘cried Stanley, with a woll-assamed manner of devil-me-care rakishness. “We mast get somewhere at last—that's very cer- purposely hung back, thinking it better to keep aloof until the girls should have got the “swells ~ in regular tow. CO IMULUG CY DOO CS (COL